Paul's Market Insights
Paul's Market Insights is our bi-weekly communique to provide clients with current insights on financial markets.
Written By Paul Siluch
September 19th, 2025
My sister once dated a man who sold Canadian lottery tickets through the mail to Americans. Before 1996, most American lotteries—like those in California—paid winnings annually over 26 years, while Canadian lotteries paid out in one lump sum. People preferred one big cheque over twenty-six smaller ones.
He sold a lot of Canadian lottery tickets.
It was illegal, of course. My sister tended to see the best in people, even when she probably shouldn't have. But one thing he said stuck with me...
Written by Paul Siluch
September 5th, 2025
Once upon a time, one of your neolithic ancestors – let’s call her Lilly - was hungry. She had a spare deer hide but nothing she could eat.
Her neighbour – let’s call him Ug - caught some fish and offered her two in exchange for the fur. She demanded four but the two settled on three because he was cold, and she needed to eat.
This was barter, the earliest form of monetary transaction.
What makes any form of money work? There are five qualities...
